Trait Hoarder

“Our offices in multiple countries are being targeted. There just aren’t enough of us to go around and the K9 project is too early in its development.” Vura informed. The warrior-turned-fox had settled into a lax security position alongside Teuta, but things were starting to heat up more than she bargained for. The ‘cult’ that was always named but never encountered bared its fangs finally, and they were stronger than anticipated.

“To be expected. All of these enterprises are built up as civilian endeavours. From the get go we were never going to get by unscathed against an enemy that was built to go to war. But, we have a trump card that’s going to make all their advances pointless.”

“Oh?”

“Using the power of the… well, I’m not sure what to call them. Twins?”

“In one body. It’s amazing, supposedly.” Vura shrugged.

“Weak, but we work with what we have. Having the strength to consume and assimilate… this is something to be proud of but neither of them had the strength to do it to the other.” Teuta clicked her tongue.

“Our Sire thinks differently. Anyway… what’s the plan?”

“When we take any losses we will have someone in the safe location prompt those two to roll back. When we make ground we will ask them to ‘save.’”

“Doesn’t it… creep you out a bit? I don’t know why nobody’s mentioned it but don’t those twins powers kind of make them like… tiny Angels?”

“Hm.” Teuta looked up curiously.

“I suppose.”

“In any case, you’re right. With this plan, if it’s doable then we’re probably going to win for sure. When will it be in effect, Ma’am?”

“Soon? You know how all this works…”

“Aha… Even if we ‘technically’ came first, the proposals to our Sire have to go through the children, first.”

“Don’t sound so bitter, Vura.” Teuta smiled.

“I’m not. It’s the same on that side.”

“Really?”

“Our Sire is special because she is a natural child. All the others… well, they’re just ‘copies’ like us.”

“Don’t make it sound so bleak. I haven’t lived badly. Plus, immortality is kind of nice.”

“Of course it is… for you.” Teuta turned to stare out the window at the city. A million lights illuminated the outlines of structures extending right out to the water.

Vura and Teuta was similar in very few ways, despite the fact that they both started out as blonde warriors, essentially. Vura kept her blonde hair and the only thing that really changed were the fringes of white and the trademark burgundy-coloured eyes of the Raithe side. Teuta on the other-hand was less a fox and more a mechnised ‘creature’. The inner workings were all there, but her arms and legs were tech and her skin was ghostly pale, as well as her hair. She was in many ways a ghost. She felt that while others had enjoyed their immortality, she was being sustained on life-support.

The door to the office slid open behind them. “Regrets?” Mithra asked.

“What’s going on?” Vura wondered out loud.

“This is a secured structure… Either she’s incredibly good or-”

“-or we have a traitor.” Teuta drew her sword. Vura did as well.

“I know this face… Mithra. How unfortunate that you’ve joined the wrong side. I’m not going to enjoy killing you.”

“That’s not what the look on your face tells me.” Mithra mused. Teutas expression was one of cruel delight.

“But I guess it’s true that you’re all just a bunch of psycho freaks.”

“Hmm.” Vura eyed the girl closely.

“You came into the exact wrong building. I have no idea where this confidence comes from, but we’re the Sire’s greatest combatants.”

“Poor thing~ Enough talking!” Teuta cried out, darting forward. Metallic sounds rang out as Teuta’s top-of-the-line parts immediately kicked into overdrive, utilising over 10x greater strength than the Knight would’ve been capable of in her prime. She used to just be able to get by, but as time passed she became even better. As the Knight sliced up towards Mithra’s face the girl was shocked by the speed and wound up stumbling back. She was cut from her chest right up to her cheek, and it didn’t stop. Teuta continued slashing relentlessly, following Mithra around the room as the new fox desperately dodged back.

In one instance as she retreated Vura finally joined in by blocking her retreat. As Mithra turned to try to punch the weaker fox out of the way before Teuta caught up, the fox clenched her fist and called a shield of blue energy from her wrist the negated all **** from the punch. Mithra felt lethal intent behind her and turned her body just enough that the downward swipe from the longsword only caught her tail, severing three-quarters of it. The bushy thing fell off and Mithra wound up getting away by darting off to the side.

“Are you a fox or a lizard?” Teuta mocked, whipping the blood from her sword onto the ground with a flick of her wrist. Vura advanced carefully beside her partner.

“Gnoll.” Mithra cracked her neck to one side, then the other. She rolled her shoulders.

“Didn’t like that all that much anyway… too big and stupid. Reminded me of a pair of dumbasses…”

“How funny that even after you’ve changed, all you can do is yap. What were you thinking? Vura, check to see if this is a distraction. Also, call the safehouse.”

“Really? Reducing it to just one of you? I don’t think you’ll be able to beat me, then.”

“How kind. Worry about yourself.” Teuta once again went on the attack while Vura walked around the desk. As lightning quick, aura-enhanced strikes cut up the building around her she calmly dialed, even as the desk was cut apart as collateral damage, she merely picked up the stationary desk comm and kept trying to connect.

Teuta was annoyed by the fact that she was getting less and less capable of hitting the girl, and the girl was getting more and more confident. It was as if each strike helped Mithra out. Teuta immediately observed a problem and cooled off to assess. She merely kept Mithra busy with basic attacks while checking her power reserves, then her Aura. It was all optimal. As she had slowed down, however, Mithra went on an attack that rivalled Teuta’s. The Knight was put on the back foot by several swift, strong and accurate punches. As she blocked with her sword she could feel it and her tech ringing from the impact.

“Hiding your strength from the start?”

“I. Fucking. Wonder.” She grabbed Teuta by the collar of her suit in that moment and flung the knight out the window like a cannonball. She laughed.

“Yeah! Hell yeah! Haha!” She looked at Vura, still waiting patiently in the corner. Wind was rushing into the office as everything depressed.

“Worried?” Mithra asked, strutting towards the woman.

“Not at all. In a moment this comm will connect with one who is a second in command to the Sire herself.”

“Ah, the kids, huh?” Mithra scratched her head, steadily advancing.

“Don’t you think it’s weird? I got in here like I owned the place.” She grinned widely. Vura’s eyes widened as the comm finally picked up. The voice on the other end said something that disquieted her as Mithra said.

“Lemme spell it out for you…” She mouthed something that made the warrior grit her teeth.

“Since you aren’t gonna be around to narc!”

“Dammit!” Vura threw the comm down and raised her shield. Mithra flattened her palm like a spear, easily breaking through the blue energy. She thrust that spear through Vura’s chest, cruelly lifting her off the ground as she went limp and her eyes went dark. Mithra tossed the girl against the wall as Teuta pulled herself back up and into the office.

“Rithe however you like. Your actions are just the hopeless wailing of a child compared to me.” Teuta took one step forward with her sword drawn. Her eyes caught Mithra, but the girl was moving too quickly for her to reacht. The gnoll caught Teuta’s tech arm and crushed it. She then grabbed the other, whipping the knight around into the floor. She stepped on Teuta’s stomach, causing the woman to gag. It was one of the few real parts of her body.

“Too late.” Mithra exhaled sharply through her nose while looking down at the Knight through her bangs.

“How the… h-hell?” Teuta groaned.

Days earlier. “I’m not strong…” Mithra claimed.

“You are, though.” Coda assured her.

“Potential? Strength of Soul? None of that shit matters if I can’t fuck with the big dogs in Fennek…”

“If I’ve taught you anything, my dear-” Coda said as she led Mithra down a long, dark, root-latticed hall. There was a red carpet with gold inlaid threading lining the floor. They turned down a conspicuous hallway into an even stranger environment. A spherical room with runes coating every inch of surface.

“It’s that the strength of one’s Soul is the only thing that matters.” Coda motioned up towards two bodies suspended in roots wrapped in red thread and talismans written in a strange, ancient language. Neither looked alive, but also did not look dead. The one on the left was a boy that seemed about her age. He was Aoian with dark hair and his blue eyes were dulled, left opened and staring down as if lacking awareness. The second, the girl on the left was a toned beauty with brown hair and vibrant yellow eyes in the same state.

“What… who are these people?” Mithra questioned.

“These are ‘strong’ individuals, Mithra. Strength is important, but it is not the end. Those with strength are destined to fall prey to others. Desires, temptations, vanity and obsessions. These two individuals were in fact too strong to be fully absorbed, and it was a waste to kill them after seeking them out. Both heroes. The right is the owner of ‘Adaption’ and the left is the owner of ‘Domination.’ Troublesome individuals that were each potentially world-threatening in their own right.”

“So… you save the world from them?”

“I will not pretend to be selfless. I wanted them for my own gain, as well… For, my daughter owns the secrets to this odd ‘technology’ and its innovation and control, but I own the secrets of assimilation and absorption. All my children, including you, simply borrow a fraction of these.”

“Why not absorb them yourself, then?”

Coda looked up with a coy smile. “I’ve been waiting for a very, very long time to absorb a very, very specific trait. I am the only one that can do it.”

“Huh… What’s the point when you can be a world-threatening entity with these two?”

“Already am, my dear, but like I said… strength isn’t the end. I am the only one that can end this odd, random cycle that has been **** upon us. But… we will talk more about that in due time.” Coda motioned up.

“For now, you will borrow a slice of these traits. Combined with your small slice of ambition I dare say you will be quite strong.”

Mithra squatted over Teuta’s broken form. She was staring down at her palm, opening and closing solemnly.

“Fuck… Reminds you how wide the sky really is, huh?” Teuta stared up hatefully at that, breathing in and out slowly. Mithra smirked, slapping her lightly on the cheek.

“Spooky to think that I only took a fraction of those traits.” Domination increased her power when she was crushing others brutally and taking control, Ambition was granting her an even greater boost when chasing her solid, stated desires and Adaption made it so that she could never lose, so long as she was able to stay alive with the help of the other two long enough for it to kick in. They were only small slices, but together they made Mithra indomitable. She couldn’t help but feel a bit gleeful while standing over Teuta’s broken body.

“Hehehe.”

“How does this shit work?” Shedu questioned, staring into the full-sized mirror in their room. The girl thought it would be nice to look at herself in a mirror, but instead all she saw was her dopey brother’s face. Even worse, when it was their full body she could only see him standing there on the other side.

“This would actually be fun if I could control the way you moved… I could make you pick your nose.”

“You’d also be picking your nose if you were using mirror logic…” Garland informed.

“Sh-shut up!” She narrowed her eyes and thought of another question.

“What’s it like in there?. Is there a mirror room?”

“It’s just dark. I see the mirror, and I see through it into the real space, but I doubt I’m actually inside of a mirror.”

“How so?”

“Well… a mirror is the gateway to the soul, right? When you look into a mirror what you’re seeing and where I am is actually just our soul. But, how the hell do you not know this if we’ve already swapped so many times!?” Garland questioned.

“Pfft. I don’t try to poke around like a nerd. I only give you the reins when I’m bored, so why would I wanna have a look around?”

“Sure.” He crossed his arms over his naked chest. Garland was still a femboy, for sure, however he was a bit taller and more ‘pretty’ rather than ‘cute.’ He had a small cock, slender waist and hips just wide enough for someone to make the mistake of thinking he was a girl from behind.

“So it’s partially based on wanting to look.”

“Bro… can you stop ‘wanting to look’ at your beautiful and intelligent sister’s body while I’m trying to look at myself?”

Garland turned his nose up at her. “Sorry I interrupted your narcissism with useful information.” He faded out, leaving Shedu to excitedly explore her own body.

“Hehe, finally~ This is so cool!” She spread her legs in front of the mirror, toying with her pussy with one hand. She admired the Cyan colour of it, but also the depth and wetness were unreal. Her eyes wandered over her arms and legs. The doll-jointed limbs that had been mechanical, along with most of her body, were overtaken by real flesh. The explanation that Shedu was given seemed to imply that an aggressive alteration of the soul gave off energy. Combining them was the same principle. This allowed odd things to happen, such as a body of a fox rapidly changing to resemble traits of the one they absorbed. Functionally, however, their body would change back and forth instead and consume a bit of their essence temporarily as they did, making it tiring to do it many times over.

Raithe implied that the mix of artifice and flesh combined by the unique process created a type of new ‘tech’ that had never been thought of before. ‘Biotech.’ Shedu suddenly stopped masturbating and perked up as it hit her.

“Wait a minute…” Her two tails stopped wagging. A result of the combine was that they both shared the unusual trait that was found out to be a result of Garland consuming most of Shedu in the womb. She held her head in her hands with her legs still spread and screamed.

“I- I gotta find out if Grandma is gonna give us royalties!”

“You’re shameless.” Garland faded in and out of the mirror just to say that.